Internet and Social Crazes

[Kandy-Sugar]

Bit tipsy, so don't mind me if I don't really make sense.

So why do fads like the Harlem Shake and Planking become so obsessive?

It's funny to watch and all but I just don't understand why so many people get so into these crazes.

I feel like I've been living under a rock half the time because as soon as I hear about a certain craze it's about the same time it's died down.

Apparently the Harlem Shake craze originated in my state in little old Aussie Land (and these sort of things never really get noticed outside of Australia) and I didn't even know until I saw it on the news one day and by that stage it was already going nuts around the world.

Is anyone else like me and a little out of a loop on these sort of things? XD

I like to think I have a life as my reason for not paying attention to these sort of things though. XD

And yes my rock does come with air conditioning.

 

[Ohri-Jin]

I think its pathetic behaviour. I dont know whats worse the instigator or the people tht copycat. Fucking sheeple. Hypes are pathetic...
I will never understand why people do this.. perhaps for attention. A sense of being part of something big.

I can speak for The Netherlands when I say that the Dutch primarily draws a lot of inspiration from the USA it varies from several aspects like movies to cloths.

Like Project X (the movie) after tht ( I thought the movie was awesome) dutch people suddenly wanted to do a similair party..
I know now that the original story behind Project X initiated in Australia lol but Harlem Shake as well?

I did not know that lol. Cause apparantly most Harlem Shakes are not the real Harlem Shake but wrongly done.

 

[L]

i don't really care for it

i could almost punch a baby if someone mentions or references gangam style again

 

[Kandy-Sugar]

These boys right here started it:

Link

Apparently they were bored one day and it was raining outside, so they did it for fun.

If the Project X is based on something happening in Australia then I think it was based on this guys crazy house party in Sydney while his parents were away:

Link

I remember this guy was talked about for ages.

 

[SaShman]

I think its pathetic behaviour. I dont know whats worse the instigator or the people tht copycat. Fucking sheeple. Hypes are pathetic...
I will never understand why people do this.. perhaps for attention. A sense of being part of something big.

I wouldn't go that far. I mean, at the end of the day, I guess it's just about trying to have a bit of fun. When I was a teenager I also enjoyed acting like a retard for a laugh. In hindsight it was stupid but it was just harmless fun really.

Personally, I don't really pay attention to this sort of stuff. I constantly see people post unfunny memes on facebook and such, but I don't bother reading into them.

I did not know that lol. Cause apparantly most Harlem Shakes are not the real Harlem Shake but wrongly done.

I didn't realize there was a proper way to do it.

 

[Tyler Breeze]

Meh.... I don't mind most of the fads out there. I liked the Gangnam Style fad, but that's kinda last year. I hate this Harlem Shake one though. It just seems really stupid. It makes me want to kick people. I didn't even hear about the Harlem Shake fad until a little over a week ago. I guess that was a good thing.

Either way, I just hope this Harlem Shake fad goes away fast and we can get to see something new.

 

[Ohri-Jin]

I wouldn't go that far. I mean, at the end of the day, I guess it's just about trying to have a bit of fun. When I was a teenager I also enjoyed acting like a retard for a laugh. In hindsight it was stupid but it was just harmless fun really.

Personally, I don't really pay attention to this sort of stuff. I constantly see people post unfunny memes on facebook and such, but I don't bother reading into them.


I didn't realize there was a proper way to do it.

Hmm maybe you're right man hehe and the instigators are having fun and have done something original. The thing that pisses me off though are the tons of people tht copycat...

Planking, Memes and Projext etc...

It starts of having fun and go crazy but to make vids,pics etc.. is a little bit too much imo..

I try not to be bothered by all of this but the problem is its so hard to avoid




PS: yeah apparantly there is a proper way of Harlem Shake and most of the vids out there circulating are not proper...however I initially thought Harlem Shake originated from Harlem in USA OR is just a type of dance with tht name but also originates from USA, but that might not be the case then? Not sure..

I saw the vid where a few guys & girls did the "proper" Harlem Shake and I was very impressed. It was the bomb not like these costume cosplay fetish vids.

 

[Jack's Smirking Revenge]

A sense of being part of something big.

that's exactly why, in most cases. people want the sense of being involved in something popular and recognisable. however you do of course get a lot people who do it for their moment in the 'spotlight' there are people who think they're being funny by doing a slight parody on something you already know, and it's these people who make a fad cringe worthy. we see people being uncreative and ripping off what others have done and get annoyed by it.

i think i had a point originally, but now i sound like a pretentious arsehole

 

[Ilyena]

I find that I'm always behind on these internet fads. I didn't even know what Gangnam style was until around New Years.

I remember the Harlem Shake being a dance back in the 90's. I just recently saw a thread about it on this forum and I thought it was referencing that one. This is the first time I'm seeing the new one. It just looks like a bunch of people spastically throwing themselves around. I'm not sure what's so entertaining or amusing about that, tbh.

 

[Toshiya]

I'm normally behind on them I suppose I didn't know what the harlem shake was until a few days ago and I'm not sad that I missed it
Gangnam style was a funny one, the worst part is that when you've been drinking the dance ALWAYS seems like a good idea, and then you realise how much of a tit you look happens to me all the time.
Some of them are quite funny though, planking was always a good one for the crazy photos people ended up posting of themselves lying down in the weirdest places. But some fads really are just annoying.

 

[CassinoChips]

As a black man (on the inside), let me educate y'all about the Harlem Shake. And no, the random fits of epilepsy while wearing a ridiculous costume are not examples of the true Harlem Shake.

It did originally come from Harlem/Rucker in the early '80s, . Didn't really get popular until the early part of the new millenium after a certain music video used it. I'm blanking on the name. But the dance is like a side-to-side thing with your arms, and flicking your wrists a bit. As well as some hip action. Tbh, I think the Carlton dance is based on it in some form. So yeah. There's a really good video on YouTube where some cat breaks down how to Harlem Shake.

 

[Ohri-Jin]

As a black man (on the inside), let me educate y'all about the Harlem Shake. And no, the random fits of epilepsy while wearing a ridiculous costume are not examples of the true Harlem Shake.

It did originally come from Harlem/Rucker in the early '80s, . Didn't really get popular until the early part of the new millenium after a certain music video used it. I'm blanking on the name. But the dance is like a side-to-side thing with your arms, and flicking your wrists a bit. As well as some hip action. Tbh, I think the Carlton dance is based on it in some form. So yeah. There's a really good video on YouTube where some cat breaks down how to Harlem Shake.

As a black man on the inside lmao.. But check this out what do you think?


Real Harlem Shake.. This vid is boss.

 

[The Master]

Meh.... I don't mind most of the fads out there. I liked the Gangnam Style fad, but that's kinda last year. I hate this Harlem Shake one though. It just seems really stupid. It makes me want to kick people. I didn't even hear about the Harlem Shake fad until a little over a week ago. I guess that was a good thing.

Either way, I just hope this Harlem Shake fad goes away fast and we can get to see something new.

You and I both know that the best fad is Thrift Shop.

I also happen to like The Most Popular Girls in School. Even if it makes me a quote-unquote "11 year old gay kid"

 

[moogling]

you literally came up with that yourself don't pin it on anyone else

they're all fuckin dumb. every single one.

 

[The Master]

you literally came up with that yourself don't pin it on anyone else

they're all fuckin dumb. every single one.

I just put the pieces together from what was said

And I don't know if this was a fad, but I'm sure most of you have seen it:

 

[Ed Elric]

I think the *majority* of these fads and crazes are stupid and pointless.

For example: The Ice Bucket Challenge.

It was intended to bring awareness about a deadly disease; although most of the videos and challenges, are for the social side of it. Almost every video I've seen, little was mentioned about donating.

 

[CassinoChips]

I think the *majority* of these fads and crazes are stupid and pointless.

For example: The Ice Bucket Challenge.

It was intended to bring awareness about a deadly disease; although most of the videos and challenges, are for the social side of it. Almost every video I've seen, little was mentioned about donating.

ALS association received about $2.7 million in donations in 2013.

ALS association received over $100 million in donations in 2014.

Whether or not people did it to be trendy or because they actually care about ALS, it worked.

I'm ambivalent towards slacktivism/hashtagtivism, but awareness in general is never a bad thing, especially if it yields results.

 

[Six]

ALS association received about $2.7 million in donations in 2013.

ALS association received over $100 million in donations in 2014.

Whether or not people did it to be trendy or because they actually care about ALS, it worked.

I'm ambivalent towards slacktivism/hashtagtivism, but awareness in general is never a bad thing, especially if it yields results.

And exactly how much water was wasted in 2014 vs. 2013, because of the challenge alone?

I'm not saying the campaign was bad, but I think they could've made something a bit less wasteful to raise awareness... Was a bit of a double-sided thing for me. I personally don't pay much attention to internet crazy like these, even though I use social media quite often when on the road, just to read up for the time being.